Malachi

Chapter 2

The priests are reproved for not keeping their covenants and not teaching the people—The Jews are condemned for dealing treacherously with one another and with their wives.

1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

2 If ye will not ahear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a bcurse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

3 Behold, I will acorrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my acovenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.

5 My acovenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

6 The law of atruth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did bturn many away from ciniquity.

7 For the priest’s lips should keep aknowledge, and they should seek the blaw at his mouth: for he is the cmessenger of the Lord of hosts.

9 Therefore have I also made you acontemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

10 Have we not all one afather? hath not one God bcreated us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by cprofaning the covenant of our fathers?

11 ¶ Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath amarried the daughter of a bstrange god.

12 The Lord will acut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.

13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

14 ¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the awife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

15 And did not he make aone? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a bgodlycseed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the dwife of his youth.

16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth aputting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

17 ¶ Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth aevilis good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of bjudgment?